Was Andy Cohen Wrong For Calling One Direction Twinks?

Bravo's Andy Cohen was taking heat yesterday by heterosexual entertainment outlets for calling One Direction "twinks" on NBC's Today show. But we wonder: Was he wrong? Wouldn't anyone understand why he would call them that?

The answer is no. Well, at least not anyone who uses the word in their regular vocabulary or as anyone in the gay community would understand. "Twink" is common gay slang and can be used in context as compliment and insult, depending tone and statement made, but it also be used as description. Typically and generally, the word stands for a young or young-looking, slim, and hairless guy, usually gay (but not the case of One Direction, at least to our knowledge.)

"I barged right into a room of twinks: One Direction!" said Andy on Tuesday's Today show after waltzing in on the boy band, post their morning concert. On Twitter he also said "No joke just walked right into One Direction greenroom!! The blond dude was shirtless #HolyTwink." Andy clearly was using the word as description of the boy band's youthfulness (it is also how many gays refer to them, I mean look at them, right?). Or maybe they are worried that he was trying to out them as gay?

After the negative feedback, Andy took to Twitter to apologize "Misused word earlier -- I just meant they're cute. #1D." Did he really have to?